The Konigstiger 183

Chapter two

It had been two hours since we woke up. Everyone was at their stations. I left the Cupola open and saw Aether sitting right next to me. Our prisoner was in the storage, again we lack the room dear reader.

I sighed and watched road, we are going to the nearby town of Lemme, it is currently 40km away. So at our current speed of 45 kmph we should be there within an hour.

As the tank drove I got a spare MG-42 and placed it on the cupola. Of course Aether was looking at me because our weapons to him looked like weird toys.

I sat there and watched the road. "Rein how is it like for you to be the gunner?" Alice asked in the radio. Well Rein he just sighed, "Boring or tiring, it ain't easy to load the shells you know." I chuckled to that as I recalled when I was once a Panzer 4 loader, and boy it was not easy.

I sighed at my crew who continued to chat over by the radio. I looked to Aether who just to seem a little down, and can I blame the man? I would have done the same if it was my family.

My family...

Oh well (*sighs*) there is nothing that I can do. I was traded for world peace or at least a lot less wars.

I sighed but whilst maintaining the posture of mine. My crew is now my family. In a another world, what I can do is just to hope they are at peace.

Around 55 minutes later we saw the village of Lemme.

The village was small and had atleast 150 houses and some fields for crops. The men and women tending to the crops, children and some of the teens tending to the herds of sheep as well.

"Alice, slow down. Into the forest." The tank slowed down and turned to the forest. When we got in I dismounted and the rest followed.

I turned to Aether and looked to him. "What is the punishment for being a bandit?" I asked. Aether then thought of it and replied, "It depends from village to village. But it is usually either execution or slavery."

I felt a sudden dark atmosphere when he said that. "Captain. Are we going to let the prisoner we have be a slave or executed?" Alice asked. "Captain. If they are going to execute her... We should do it, by forming a firing squad, or by machine gun fire. At least there it is quick and painless." Rein replied.

Lisa looked to Rein with a degree of horror, "Rein, you can't be serious. A summary execution is against the Geneva convention..." But Lisa was cut off.

"I know what I said, but that is if our captain says we send her to the village." Rein countered. Lisa then looked to everyone. "I think we should put it to a vote."

Alice then stepped forward, and said, "If that is the case, I vote that we give her a second chance. Pls raise your hand if you agree." I raised my hand, aswell as the twins.

"Aether are you going to vote." I asked, he shook his head, "I have no say in this. She is your captive. I'm just your guide." Allan and Rein shook their heads.

With the voting over I walked to the place where we were holding our captive. I opened the small compartment and got her out. I got her to sit up and got to her back. "I'm going to remove the gag of yours. No tricks okay?" I said and proceeded to removed her gag. Her arms and legs are still tied up, so that she does not escape.

"If you are planning to make me a slave, then you might as well kill me." She replied whilst maintaining her spiteful face.

"No we just have a offer should you accept we will be willing to give you an... asylum of sorts. In return for said asylum you help us. Deal?" She looked at me and say the others.

Aether walking around trying to not make contact. Allan, and Rein keeping their hands on their Luggers. Anna and Lisa trying to look friendly but steadfast. She then looked at me, I tried to look neutral and composed.

She then nodded to the agreement. "I agree." I then untied her and she said, "My name is Aillyn. And no I do not need food. Just water."

One by one me and my crew introduced eachother. She also admitted to being a raider in an attempt to improve relations between her, Aether, and my crew. Well specifically Allan and Rein.

The two seem to tolerate her atleast and so did Aether. I then looked to Aether, "What species are in that village?"

Aether turned to face me and gave me his answer. "Mostly humans, and some elven traders. Question, do you have other clothes? Cause you would be drawing attention towards yourselves, if you wear your current clothes, and get a lot of attention."

I looked towards my current clothes and he had a point. My clothes were both a little stinky and a tad too much. I looked at my crew who all shook their heads.

I sighed being alittle annoyed by that fact. I looked to the two natives and they shrugged, before I asked my question.

"Why did I bother. Well one thing is for sure we cannot bring the tank. Rein, and Lisa your with us. We are going in and look for a job. Hopefully nothing too exciting."

Lisa and Rein joined up with me and Aether. "So um, question what is that metal beast you five ride?"

Lisa tapped on to Aether and smiled, "It is simply known as a Panzer VI Tiger II, you can think of it as a big metal Beast that launches exploding arrows. The beast it self is not alive, but... Well, let us say each one of us play a certain role. I'm the team's healer, Leon is the Commander of the Beast, and Rein is the one who loads the 'bow', Allan he is the person who shoots, and moves the 'bow', he also acts as the team's engineer, and Alice, my twin sister, she is the one who moves the thing."

He looked at me and I replied, "Just because I am the commander does not mean I do what I please."

"Yeah right, you sleep in the tank, you eat in the tank, you read in the tank, the next thing I see is, you and a special someone making a child in the tank, while we are in it!" Rein and Lisa said at the same time.

I stopped and leaned by Lisa and whispered, "So who do you think that special someone is going to be, you or Alice?" I ran for a five second head start.

"WHAT!!!!!" Rein laughed as hard as I did at her reaction. Aether on the other hand was surprised at how she reacted. With that I leaned on to Rein and said, "Also you and Alice would make a cute pair." He turned red and I smirked at him to show I meant it.

"You are kidding right?" He said flustered and getting redder then the Soviet Union's flag. "Yes, because it is not everyday you see a pair say the same set of words at the same time." He got really red.

Let us just say the two had a hard time looking at each other straight to the eyes. Worth it.